Study shows MMOs help make friends ... and lovers
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Aug 15th 2007 at 1:57PM }
The findings of the study are actually fascinating:
- 40% of people discussed sensitive issues with online friends rather than real-life friends.
- 30% were attracted to another player.
- Women were more likely than males to be attracted to other players ... and more likely to date them.
- Women said "therapeutic refreshment" was their main reason for playing, where men did it for "curiosity, astonishment and interest."
- 1 in 5 believe MMORPGs have a negative impact if their partner doesn't play. Over two-thirds said it was a positive experience if their partner did play.
- 50% says World of Warcraft is the MMO of choice
The full study called Social Interactions in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Gamers will be published in US journal CyberPsychology and Behavior. The study may not help break any stereotypes of online gamers, but it does show that these online games can have the same social interaction possibilities that playing on a real-life sports team could have.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Word of the street. @ Aug 15th 2007 2:04PM
•40% of people discussed sensitive issues with online friends rather than real-life friends.-Because you can always trust in strangers, well I guess I mean they don’t know you also they don’t seem to care.
•30% were attracted to another player-I wonder if they know that sexy hot elf woman is really a Fat guy in a greasy T-shirt eating Chetos.
•Women were more likely than males to be attracted to other players ... and more likely to date them-Wait Woman play MMOs?, man they must be ugly.
•Women said "therapeutic refreshment" was their main reason for playing, where men did it for "curiosity, astonishment and interest."-Is just a Fucking Videogame get over it.
•1 in 5 believe MMORPGs have a negative impact if their partner doesn't play. Over two-thirds said it was a positive experience if their partner did play-Whenever a married couple plays WOW a Baby dies.
•50% says World of Warcraft is the MMO of choice-Poor Guildwars.
eldee @ Aug 15th 2007 2:18PM
this post is made of win
Radicoon @ Aug 15th 2007 2:47PM
Word to the wise, Word of the Street: Stop saying things to try to sound cool. Thanks.
Word of the street. @ Aug 15th 2007 3:04PM
What did I touch a nerve?.
It seems Radicoon felt in love with one of those "elves",ouch.
Well Radicoon you stop critiquing other people post you retard.
It seems no one want to hear the truth.
Radicoon @ Aug 15th 2007 3:49PM
I don't even play MMOs. I just thought that you purposely picked apart the data and added pointless commentary to make yourself look cool. And I don't really appreciate people trying to act cool. We've got enough of that already in America.
Word of the street. @ Aug 15th 2007 4:15PM
So, is just a comment . I’m not trying to be cool (because I'm cool) I just did it for the lawls is that a problem?.
We have enough people insulting in the internet already, want me to be like you and bash every comment, well to bloody bad lad. I just like to comment there is no much to say but that.
I'm being funny because I feel like it otherwise I don’t comment, also that is suppose to be fun. Also Random commentary is also funny.
I didn’t know trying to make people laugh was such a crime.
samfish @ Aug 15th 2007 2:07PM
I had an online girlfriend.
...when I was 14 years old.
Word of the street. @ Aug 15th 2007 2:11PM
Sure it wasn't a Pedophile,just saying.
Kye @ Aug 15th 2007 2:25PM
How old are you now?
samfish @ Aug 15th 2007 2:27PM
14 and a half
Crono @ Aug 15th 2007 2:42PM
LOL
Kye @ Aug 15th 2007 4:32PM
You win teh internets!
*takes internets away from w.o.t.s and gives it to samfish*
I remember way back when i was [age] and a half.
Good times.
mr nimblewick @ Aug 15th 2007 2:10PM
Yeah, you make friends on MMO's... until you leave for a couple of months to focus on your college work and by the time you're back they've forgotten about you and you keep messaging and messaging but they don't write back and change to horde characters in a different guild because there's no one left in your old one and nobody wants another warrior in their guild, especially not a gnome one and is this really worth the nagging you get from girlfriend about it? I don't think so.
Or so I've heard.
CapAmerica @ Aug 15th 2007 2:16PM
I find this pretty sad =/
Abscissa @ Aug 15th 2007 2:52PM
"Women said "therapeutic refreshment" was their main reason for playing, where men did it for "curiosity, astonishment and interest.""
Sounds like two sides of the same coin to me. Curiosity, astonishment and interest ARE therapeutically refreshing.
HineyWipe @ Aug 15th 2007 2:43PM
I made friends with a Krazy grrl on Xbox Live. After a a week of playing Live games together, she got rather comfortable with her "verbage" (flirting) and I called her on it. She wanted to meet up. So I asked her if she had her Parent's permission...she dropped me from her friend's list like a rock. (Turns out she was 20yrs old, and cute...but using her bf's account. Yeah..the internet is full of trustworthy people...uh huh).
Hater3000 @ Aug 15th 2007 3:09PM
Hey radiccon is not cool to criticize other people post without a good reason.
Matt B @ Aug 15th 2007 3:13PM
My old boss recently got divorced because his wife met someone else from playing WOW. SHe was a bitchy fat slob anyway.
Chris @ Aug 15th 2007 3:24PM
It also causes people to forget about the friends they had before they played MMOs and stop doing anything outside of the gameworld because they have a raid scheduled every night.
darkelf @ Aug 15th 2007 3:26PM
What happend with the old fashioned play for fun?
I play gild wars with people who don´t speak english, germans and frenchs and we play for win, for have fun not for any other reason.
That´s why I leave second life I can not get a job for be a nob, not a house and people just want to made friends.
ssuk @ Aug 15th 2007 3:30PM
100% of people need to get out more.
d-pad @ Aug 15th 2007 3:31PM
If you fall in love with someone over an MMO, people are legally allowed to make fun of you.
I think it's even in the Bible.
Word of the street. @ Aug 15th 2007 3:38PM
Is not in the Bible I think is more like in the constitution.